Microsoft’s HoloLens already has a physical input device, the HoloLens Clicker, but in a recently published patent, we may be getting a peek into what the company was initially planning before they decided to include each HoloLens with the tiny 3DoF device.

First spotted by The Verge via Twitter user WalkingCat, the proposed wand features a trigger and what appears to be a touchpad and button just where the thumb would rest.

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image courtesy Microsoft
image courtesy Microsoft
image courtesy Microsoft
image courtesy Microsoft

The Clicker (which comes with HoloLens) already lets you essentially replace hand gestures so you can select, scroll, move, and resize 3D objects with the touch of a button, but the proposed device revealed in the patent appears to fit a different use-case, with its integrated trigger easily conjuring up thoughts of interactions like gripping items and possibly firing guns.

image courtesy Microsoft

These sorts of gaming-intensive interactions would ideally best be handled by something like Microsoft’s recently revealed motion controllers, but these critically do not support HoloLens, and are only for use with the company’s line of VR headsets.

While no supporting information was included in the official patent detailing the exact function of the touchpad and button below it, the patent specifically cites a Google Glass-compatible concept device created by industrial designer Jorge Trevino as a source of inspiration. Tentatively named Google Draw (the concept was created by Trevino, and is not a Google product), the AR stylus was imagined to work as both a pen for taking notes and a spray can.

image courtesy Jorge Trevino

Critically, the design of Microsoft’s AR input device wouldn’t be held like a stylus though, as it appears to be ergonomically similar to Vive’s Lighthouse motion controllers.

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It’s unclear at this point if the company intends on producing the wand, although our hunch says it’s probably just an early concept. After all, we already got an eye-full last year during a Microsoft promo for their Mixed Reality platform. There’s still no telling what direction the next iteration of Microsoft’s HoloLens will take however, or whether the platform is making way for more dedicated AR gaming apps to fit alongside its productivity-focused Windows Universal Platform apps. Either way, we’ll be watching Microsoft intently for their next move to see if the device ever sees the light of day, or fades into obscurity.

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Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • DaKangaroo

    I still don’t get why we can’t just have some gloves..

    Wearable gloves that detect the wearer’s hand pose, maybe capacitive buttons on the back of the palms for menus.. then just need some touch feedback vibration or something under the fingertips and on the palm.

    Why are we still trying to make ‘controllers’ work in VR?

    • Andrew Jakobs

      We already have gloves (like the manus vr gloves, but also much older gloves), but they also have their limitations. Let’s not forget that gloves have to be in sizes, which also brings up a problem with manufacturing them. Also adding a lot of hardware to gloves makes them pretty bulky (not that should really be a problem though).
      But these MS wand is something they already showed in 2000 (way before Nintendo had their wiimotes).

  • NooYawker

    Should be great if you’re a Harry Potter fan, but I thought AR would ideally just see your hands and let you manipulate AR objects with them.